MASSACHUSETTS DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURAL RESOURCES

Division of Animal Health

251 Causeway Street, Suite 500
Boston, MA 02114
617-626-1795

INSPECTION REPORT

Date: January 10, 2017

To: Michael Cahill, Director

Lorraine O’Connor, DVM

From: Linda Harrod

Animal Health Inspector

RE: Greyhound Friends

167 Saddle Hill Road
Hopkinton, MA 01748
(508) 435-5969
www.greyhoundfds.org

BACKGROUND:

Greyhound Friends is a shelter/rescue that is approved to import dogs to be offered for adoption from out of
state sources. Over the years there have been many issues at this facility, including but not limited to, too many
dogs on the premise, overcrowding, long stay dogs, shy/scared dogs, small kennels, inappropriate dogs being
offered for adoption and placed into homes, etc.

DISCUSSION:

On December 14, 2016 Massachusetts Department of Agriculture (“MDAR”) Animal Health Inspector Linda
Harrod, Animal Rescue League of Boston (“ARLB”) Law Enforcement Department Lieutenant Alan Borgal
and Massachusetts Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (“MSPCA”) Officer Nadya Moreno
inspected Greyhound Friends (“GF”) kennel in Hopkinton, MA.

Upon the inspector’s arrival, there was a woman sitting in a car in the parking lot. The woman immediately got
out of the car and hurried into the kennel. Once inside the building, this same woman greeted the inspectors.
Inspector Harrod asked if Director Louise Coleman was available. Director Coleman was in the office and
came out shortly thereafter. Director Coleman was familiar with Inspector Harrod and Lieutenant Borgal but
had not previously met Officer Moreno. Dr. Pam Josephson (formerly Dr. Pam Wilmot) came out of the kennel
area with 2 zip lock bags of prescription pills, and one bag containing syringes (Exhibit 1):

1. Quantity of five (5) 10cc syringes filled with Panacur, an over the counter wormer.
2. Quantity of five (5) 100 mg tablets of Carprofen that were cut in half, with instructions to give ½ tab
daily for 5 days.
3. Quantity of twenty (20) 50 mg tablets of Cephalaxin with instructions to give 1 cap 2 xs daily for 10
days.
4. Also included was a “medication sheet” that could be initialed when the dog was medicated (Exhibit 2)
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Director Coleman stated that these medications were for the dog “Garvey” who was neutered the day before,
12/13/16, and was being picked up by its adopters shortly (Exhibit 3). Inspector Harrod informed both Director
Coleman and Dr. Josephson that the shelter could not dispense medication and that the veterinarian would need
to establish a valid veterinary-client-patient relationship (VCPR). This relationship can be established by the
shelter veterinarian meeting face to face with the adopter to discuss the medications prescribed to the pet. This
is not done on a regular basis at GF as Dr. Josephson only works part time at GF and isn’t present for every
adoption. Director Coleman stated that she was not aware of the requirement for a VCPR but Inspector Harrod
corrected Director Coleman and reminded the Director that Inspector Harrod and Director Coleman have
discussed the issue previously. Dr. Josephson then stated “the MSPCA does that all the time.” Dr. Josephson
also stated that she knew the medications had to be in pill bottles not plastic bags. Inspector Harrod, in
conjunction with the Massachusetts Division of Professional Licensure, investigated a complaint at the MSPCA
for this very thing in June of 2012.

There was one older hound dog named Sampson who was previously adopted from GF being boarded by GF in
the small office off of the reception area. GF is not a boarding kennel. Director Coleman stated that Sampson’s
owner had a heart transplant and needed to be in a sterile environment and that Sampson “dribbles.” Director
Coleman’s three personally owned dogs, Gun shy; Penny and Elvis were in the conference room. After leaving
the reception area, the inspectors went to the kitchen area, where there was one hound dog named Ivan. Ivan
reportedly arrived at GF with a sore on his elbow and was adopted. After adoption Ivan was found to not like
cats so he was returned to GF.

The next area of the building is the surgical area where there were 3 dogs housed in crates, Rob, Clown and
Eminem. All three of these dogs were males that had been neutered earlier in the day.

The main kennel contained 19 dogs, Dakota, Canada, Ronnie, Hopp, Snickers, DNA, Zephyr, Becky, Vannah,
Brad, Henry, Harriet, Lisa, Hillary, Diamond, Kara, Cannonball, Buck and Elmer.

The back kennel contained 10 dogs, Buddy, Blazin, Maggie (arrival date 8/9/13) Velocity, Roscoe (arrival date
10/24/14), Greta, Dory, Beanie (arrival date 3/2/14), Chipper and Waylon.

Maggie was displaying spinning behavior, typically a sign of a dog under stress. When questioned about
Maggie, Director Coleman stated that Maggie was only spinning because she didn’t know the inspectors. When
Lt. Borgal questioned Director Coleman about the long stay dogs she said, “I will have them all put to sleep.”
Director Coleman followed up with an email on December 15, 2016 that stated:

“Beanie and Maggie are long stay dogs at Greyhound Friends. Their photos and descriptions are on our
website, www.greyhound.org. They will not be at Greyhound Friends immediately after Christmas. I
will be sending you more specific information soon.
Thank you.
Louise Coleman” (Exhibit 4)

The isolation room contained 5 dogs that came in on 3 different dates. Hunter (arrived 12/11/16, health
certificate signed 12/14/16), Otto and Malcolm (arrived 12/13/16), Tarkin and Jack (arrived 12/10/16, health
certificate signed 12/14/16). Because Otto and Malcolm didn’t arrive until 12/13/16, the 48 hour isolation time
should have restarted for all 5 dogs on that date, making the earliest date the dogs could have been issued a
health certificate 12/15/16.

Director Coleman fed the dogs dog treats to keep them quiet during this inspection.

When asked about the “kitchen dog” Riley, Director Coleman stated that she put him to sleep 2 years ago
because he had cancer. Riley was present during the inspection on October 2, 2015. When Inspector Harrod

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asked kennel staff Terry and Michaela Shepherd about Riley, they stated that he was put to sleep because he
was having seizures.

Concerns:

1. There were 38 dogs at GF during this inspection, not including Director Coleman’s 3 personally owned
dogs. There are no empty kennel runs. The kennel is over the allowed 35 dogs required in their Town of
Hopkinton issued kennel license.
2. Two beagles, Harriet (mother) and Lisa (daughter) were in the main kennel. Lisa was recently operated
on by Dr. Rodney Poling of Holliston Animal Hospital for an elongated pallet. Dr. Josephson recently
removed a growth on Harriet’s eye. Each of the dogs had medication attached to the chart on their
kennel door for their particular condition. Director Coleman stated that these dogs were in the wrong
cages and needed to be switched.
3. Traffic areas on the floor throughout the kennel need repaired/painted and/or sealed so that it is
impervious to moisture and can be easily cleaned and disinfected (Exhibit 5).
4. The drain in front of the main kennel was filthy (Exhibit 6). It needs to be cleaned multiple times a day.
5. There are numerous rusted/rotted or corroded kennel door piping frames and damaged chain link caging
primary enclosures should not be used until repaired by a fence company. (Exhibit 7). The dogs could
easily be injured on this fencing.
6. The isolation room only has one working light fixture so there is insufficient lighting.
7. The concrete is breaking down in the kennels and on the floors. Most of the concrete block in main
kennel and back room kennel need repair and paint to make them substantially impervious to moisture
(Exhibit 8).
8. There are large holes chewed in the walls and around guillotine doors in the kennel (primary enclosure
doors) (Exhibit 9).
9. There are several areas in the kennel that aren’t impervious to moisture and a large crack in the floor in
the isolation room (Exhibit 10).
10. The kennels that house the dogs are in a state of disrepair and are dangerous to the dogs (Exhibit 11).
11. The outdoor yard area for the isolation room contained an excess amount of feces (Exhibit 12).
12. The outdoor yard area for the main kennel contained an excess amount of feces (Exhibit 13).
13. Dog feces should be removed throughout the day to keep the area sanitary and minimize potential
parasite or disease transmission between dogs. (* Violation of MA General Law Chapter 140, section
174E (tethering and confinement – unsanitary conditions for the dogs).
14. There is no plan in place to address the behavioral needs of the dogs that have become “long stay” dogs
at GF. It is not clear if the dogs receive adequate exercise or enrichment and they exhibit stress related
behaviors. (“Beanie”, “Roscoe” and “Maggie” are long term stay dogs at Greyhound Friends). These
three dogs have been at GF for over 10 years combined. Long stay dogs have been an ongoing problem
at GF. Some dogs experience several years of constant confinement, only to end up being euthanized
because they started as, or become unplaceable.
15. Some of the dogs Kuranda Kennel Beds are large and take up most of the kennel floor space in the dog’s
primary enclosure. This was very evident in the long term stay dog’s rear isolation area.
16. Kennel ventilation does not appear adequate as ammonia odors are high. This kennel was designed for
approximately half the number of dogs that are currently housed in it.
17. The kennel was built to allow the dog an area to sleep and an area to eliminate. These two areas are
separated by a guillotine door. GF keeps the guillotine door closed, keeping 2 dogs per kennel run
instead of one in order to house more dogs.

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Exhibit 1:

5
Exhibit 2:

6
Exhibit 3:

7
Exhibit 4:

8
Exhibit 5:

9
Exhibit 6:

10
Exhibit 7:

11
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Exhibit 8:

15
Exhibit 9:

16
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Exhibit 10:

18
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Exhibit 11:

20
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Exhibit 12:

26
Exhibit 13:

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